Microelectromechanial (MEMS) inertial sensors are electrical transducers that convert a change in an external measurand into a change in an electrical signal. MEMS inertial sensors are configurable to function as accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, and Lorenz-force magnetometers, among other types of sensors.
Typically, MEMS inertial sensors sense the external measurand using the capacitive transduction principle. A device using the capacitive transduction principle exhibits a change in capacitance in response to a change in the external measurand. For example, a MEMS inertial sensor may include a first member that is movable relative to a second member in response to a change in acceleration of the sensor. As the first member moves relative to the second member, a change in capacitance is exhibited between the two members that represents the change in acceleration of the sensor.
There is a desire to implement MEMS inertial sensors that use other types of transduction principles in order to sense the external measurand. These other transduction principles, such as the moving-gate transduction principle, however, have been difficult to implement within the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) flow of chip development.
Therefore, further developments in the area of MEMS inertial sensors are desirable.